Public Administration, PhD

The Ph.D. program is designed for full-time residential students who are interested in scholarly careers as researchers and teachers. All aspects of the program are focused on providing Ph.D. students high quality research and teaching experiences. The curriculum is designed to assure that all students:

Gain substantial competency in the core subject matter and methodologies central to preparing for careers as public administration and policy scholars and researchers
Obtain a firm understanding of the broad intellectual tradition of public administration and policy analysis
Become active researchers beginning in their first year of the program

Ph.D. Requirements

Doctoral studies in Public Administration provide interdisciplinary study of public management and public policy analysis. PhD students complete 72 graduate course credits plus nine dissertation credits. Requirements for admission include an MPA or related master’s degree. Up to 36 credits earned in previous graduate study may be used to satisfy the program’s 72 course-credit requirement (39 credits for Maxwell MPA students). All students complete at least three credits in the foundations of public administration, three credits in the foundations of public policy analysis, nine credits in research methods, and 12 credits in two fields of specialization (six in each).

Fields of specialization currently offered are: public finance, budgeting and financial administration; organization theory and public management; technology and information policy; nonprofit studies; development policy and administration; environmental and natural resource policy; and social policy.

Students have the option of substituting a field of their own design for one of the two required fields of specialization, subject to faculty approval. All PhD students in good standing serve as graduate assistants during the first two years of residence. Graduate assistants work with faculty on research projects and course related activities. Participation in the University’s Teaching Assistant Training Program is also required just prior to the start of the initial fall semester.

Upon completion of required coursework and the research apprenticeship, comprehensive examinations are taken, followed by preparation of a dissertation that must be defended in an oral examination.